Federal dependencies of Venezuela
Encyclopedia
The Federal Dependencies of Venezuela (Spanish
Dependencias Federales de Venezuela) encompass all of Venezuela
's off shore islands in the Caribbean Sea
and the Gulf of Venezuela
. These islands, with a total area of 342 square kilometres, are sparsely populated - according to official sources only 3,000 people live there permanently, with another hundred from Margarita Island
who live there seasonally to engage in fishing. Local government is under the authority of the mayor
of Caracas
.
Dependencias Federales stretch for 900 km (559.2 mi) along the coast from Archipiélago Los Monjes in the west at the Gulf of Venezuela
to Isla de Patos southeast of Isla Margarita
at the Gulf of Paria
in the east.
Spanish language
Spanish , also known as Castilian , is a Romance language in the Ibero-Romance group that evolved from several languages and dialects in central-northern Iberia around the 9th century and gradually spread with the expansion of the Kingdom of Castile into central and southern Iberia during the...
Dependencias Federales de Venezuela) encompass all of Venezuela
Venezuela
Venezuela , officially called the Bolivarian Republic of Venezuela , is a tropical country on the northern coast of South America. It borders Colombia to the west, Guyana to the east, and Brazil to the south...
's off shore islands in the Caribbean Sea
Caribbean Sea
The Caribbean Sea is a sea of the Atlantic Ocean located in the tropics of the Western hemisphere. It is bounded by Mexico and Central America to the west and southwest, to the north by the Greater Antilles, and to the east by the Lesser Antilles....
and the Gulf of Venezuela
Gulf of Venezuela
The Gulf of Venezuela is a gulf of the Caribbean Sea bounded by the Venezuelan states of Zulia and Falcón and by Guajira Department, Colombia...
. These islands, with a total area of 342 square kilometres, are sparsely populated - according to official sources only 3,000 people live there permanently, with another hundred from Margarita Island
Isla Margarita
Margarita Island is the largest island of the state of Nueva Esparta in Venezuela, situated in the Caribbean Sea, off the northeastern coast of the country. The state also contains two other smaller islands: Coche and Cubagua. The capital city of Nueva Esparta is La Asunción, located in a river...
who live there seasonally to engage in fishing. Local government is under the authority of the mayor
Mayor
In many countries, a Mayor is the highest ranking officer in the municipal government of a town or a large urban city....
of Caracas
Caracas
Caracas , officially Santiago de León de Caracas, is the capital and largest city of Venezuela; natives or residents are known as Caraquenians in English . It is located in the northern part of the country, following the contours of the narrow Caracas Valley on the Venezuelan coastal mountain range...
.
Geography
The federal dependencies are composed of 600 islands and smaller formations; many have an area of less than 10,000 square metres and are essentially simple rocks. The largest island, La Tortuga, accounts for almost half of the territory of the federal dependencies.Dependencias Federales stretch for 900 km (559.2 mi) along the coast from Archipiélago Los Monjes in the west at the Gulf of Venezuela
Gulf of Venezuela
The Gulf of Venezuela is a gulf of the Caribbean Sea bounded by the Venezuelan states of Zulia and Falcón and by Guajira Department, Colombia...
to Isla de Patos southeast of Isla Margarita
Isla Margarita
Margarita Island is the largest island of the state of Nueva Esparta in Venezuela, situated in the Caribbean Sea, off the northeastern coast of the country. The state also contains two other smaller islands: Coche and Cubagua. The capital city of Nueva Esparta is La Asunción, located in a river...
at the Gulf of Paria
Gulf of Paria
The Gulf of Paria is a shallow inland sea between the island of Trinidad and the east coast of Venezuela. This sheltered body of water is considered to be one of the best natural harbours on the Atlantic coast of the Americas...
in the east.
Principal Islands and Groups
- Aves IslandIsla AvesIsla de Aves , or Aves Island, is a Caribbean dependency of Venezuela. It has been the subject of numerous territorial disputes between the neighboring independent islands, such as Dominica, and European mother countries of surrounding dependent islands, such as the Netherlands. It lies to the west...
(Isla de Aves) - Las Aves ArchipelagoLas Aves ArchipelagoThe Las Aves Archipelagois a pristine archipelago in the Caribbean Sea, and is part of the Federal Dependencies of Venezuela. It is located north of the Venezuelan states of Aragua and Carabobo, between the Dutch island Bonaire in the west, and the Los Roques Archipelago in the east, at . The prime...
(Archipiélago Las Aves) - Blanquilla IslandBlanquilla IslandBlanquilla is an island, one of the federal dependencies of Venezuela, located in the southeastern Caribbean Sea about 182 miles northeast of Caracas. It is a popular location for divers, as well as famous for its white sand beaches, for which it is named. The island's wildlife include local cacti...
(Isla La Blanquilla) - Los Frailes IslandsIslas Los FrailesThe Islas Los Frailes are an archipelago of rock islets with sparse scrub vegetation belonging to the Federal dependencies of Venezuela, part of Venezuela.It is composed of ten islands:* Chepere* Guacaraida* Puerto Real* Nabobo* Cominoto* Macarare...
(Islas los Frailes) - La Sola IslandLa Sola IslandLa Sola Island is a small island in the southeastern Caribbean Sea. The island is a part of the Dependencias Federales of Venezuela.-Geography:...
(Isla La Sola) - Patos IslandPatos Island (Venezuela)Patos Island is a small island in the southeastern Caribbean Sea. The island is a part of the Dependencias Federales of Venezuela.-Geography:...
(Isla de Patos) - Los Hermanos ArchipelagoLos Hermanos ArchipelagoThe Los Hermanos Archipelago is a chain of seven rocky barren islets that is part of the Federal Dependencies of Venezuela, at .The individual islands are:* Isla La Orquilla* Islote El Rajao* Isla Los Morochos* Islote Papelón* Isla Grueso...
(Islas Los Hermanos) - Los Monjes ArchipelagoLos Monjes ArchipelagoThe Los Monjes islands, a federal dependency of Venezuela, are located to the northwest of the Gulf of Venezuela, 34.8 km off the coast of Guajira Peninsula, at the border between Colombia and the Venezuelan state of Zulia....
(Archipiélago Los Monjes) - Orchila IslandLa OrchilaLa Orchila is a military base off the coast of Venezuela, north of Caracas. It has numerous beaches, including one where the sand is markedly pink ....
(Isla La Orchila) - Los Roques ArchipelagoLos Roques ArchipelagoThe Los Roques islands are a federal dependency of Venezuela, consisting of about 350 islands, cays or islets. The archipelago is located 80 miles directly north of the port of La Guaira, and is a 40-minute flight, has a total area of 40.61 square kilometres.Being almost an untouched coral reef,...
(Archipiélago Los Roques) - Los Testigos IslandsLos Testigos IslandsLos Testigos Islands are a group of islands in the southeastern Caribbean Sea. They are a part of the Dependencias Federales of Venezuela.-Geography:...
(Islas Los Testigos) - La Tortuga IslandLa Tortuga IslandLa Tortuga Island is an uninhabited island dependent on the government of Venezuela. It is part of a chain of islands that include the Tortuguillas, the Palaquines, and others. Has an area of 156 km²-History:...
(Isla La Tortuga)
